


Gladnisweek 2017

by skrivarmelodi



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, gladnisweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-10 14:04:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12913449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skrivarmelodi/pseuds/skrivarmelodi
Summary: Here you'll find a collection of 7 one shots about Gladnis.Day 1 : TattoosDay 2: “OMG, so drunk…” + Wearing the others clothesDay 3: Gladio and Ignis get tricked by Prompto and Noct into going on a date + Brotherhood EraDay 4: Early Morning HoursDay 5: 5 times Gladio carried Ignis & 1 time Ignis carried GladioDay 6: “Don’t call us Mom and Dad!” + Battle WoundsDay 7: Fantasy AU + FREE! (Mermaid AU)Hope you enjoy!





	1. Day1: Tattoos

 

It was odd, Ignis thought, when he glanced over to his boyfriend who was engrossed in the movie they were watching. 

Or rather, Gladio was watching  it.

Ignis was preparing a report for Noctis – even though he knew the Prince would find tons of excuses in order not to read it, a rather frustrating attitude the Prince had developed, but Ignis couldn't really blame him for. He was fifteen and he had other things on his mind – especially since he became friends with this blonde, Chocobo loving guy named Prompto, who shared almost every interest with Noctis. 

After a deep investigation to be certain that Prompto was not a bad influence on the future King of Insomnia, Ignis had to handle his newfound free time, since Noctis had become less demanding about Ignis’ support but demanded more freedom so he could be with Prompto alone. It shocked Ignis at first but when Gladio reminded him how he was acting like a mother who refused to let her kid go, Ignis realized that he had to set him free, otherwise his Prince would never become an independent adult. 

No, it wasn't Noctis change that was odd or  the fact  that Ignis suddenly had more time for himself. It was Gladio himself who behaved in an odd way and, even though Ignis tried to figure it out by watching the person he knew best – in and out –, the answer remained hidden. 

It had started a couple of days before when Gladio didn't come by one evening to get his good night kiss, or perhaps something more. Ignis didn't think it was weird back then because situations like that happened – more frequently since they graduated and became college students and their list of responsibilities and school related stuff had increased. 

A day later, when Gladio came to his place and didn't ask for cuddles or kisses, Ignis knew something was off. 

His boyfriend  would never  pass a chance to get close, even during the most inappropriate moments. 

He closed his notebook and leaned back against the backrest, silently watching Gladio whose attention was directed to the TV. True, Ignis wasn't the one who usually initiated anything between them, but he also had his needs and he liked whatever they did together. It helped him to understand that everything was alright between them and it also wad one of the few ways that helped them both to relax. 

However, when Ignis was sure that Gladio wouldn't initiate anything, - it was the fourth day already – Ignis became tired. 

Without a sound he changed his position and knelt on the couch, placing his hand gently on Gladio's shoulder. He was about to move close to place a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek when Gladio hissed and flinched, as if Ignis hand burned him. His green eyes wandered away from Gladio's face to his shoulder and instead of being worried, Ignis became irritated when he let his hand run down Gladio's arm and he had, once again, the same reaction. 

“What happened?” Ignis asked, gaze cold and warning. 

It reminded him of that one time when Gladio got hurt, badly, and tried to hide it from Ignis in order to not worry him. But all he had achieved was the opposite and he did not tell Ignis anything, simply because Gladio thought that the fact that he hurt himself while playing with his sisterwas too embarrassing.

“Nothing, I promise!” Gladio tried and was about to move when Ignis actually grabbed his arm and made his boyfriend almost yelp. 

“This doesn't sound like nothing, Gladiolus. If you're hurt you should tell so and let someone take a look  at it . Don't you know that it might get infected or become something worse with time if your nerves or bones are hurt?”

It was like an old pattern that recurred every time Gladio called his injuries 'nothing'. 

“It's not... an injury,” Gladio mumbled and Ignis let go of his arm.

“Then what is it?”

Gladio sighed and gave in by unzipping his hoodie and pulling his arm free. Ignis noticed the change on Gladio's arm right away and at first he didn't recognize what it was. At first he felt cold panic rising inside him when he saw the dark and angry red lines on Gladio's skin and he was about to reach out for his phone to call an ambulance, or maybe even drive Gladio to the hospital himself. 

But Ignis wasn't a person who acted on instinct. He thought things through,  still fast, and considered every possibility, every scenario and every answer. 

“Is that a tattoo?” Ignis ventured.

“It's the beginning of one,” Gladio corrected him with a grin, though his eyes told Ignis that he was still uncertain. 

“The... beginning?”

How big was that tattoo supposed to be? Also, Ignis tried to recall if Gladio ever mentioned that he wanted to get a tattoo…and why was he looking at Ignis like he did something wrong? Was Gladio perhaps scared that Ignis didn't like the idea of a tattoo? Was that the reason why he didn't say anything? Just because Ignis was a rather old fashioned person, it didn't mean that he was against everything from the present time. 

Quite the contrary. 

“I want an eagle with open wings on my back, and the head will be here,” Gladio confessed and showed Ignis exactly where the tattoo would be. 

His emerald eyes followed Gladio's hands and then went back up to see his face and the remaining uncertainty. 

“And you didn't tell me about that because you thought I'd be against it?” Ignis asked. 

“You don't like it?”

Ignis blinked until he snorted and shook his head as he gently placed his hand on Gladio's cheek so he wouldn't look away when he said: “It's your body, you can do with it whatever you want. It doesn't make me love you less, you know? And, no, I don't have anything against it.”

Gladio sighed and then eventually smiled as he took Ignis hand into his. 

“But I'm a bit hurt that you didn't tell me about it. You've been distant and I became worried something was wrong.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just...”

Gladio became quiet again and Ignis cocked his head to the left. “You, what?”

“I didn't tell you anything because I'm... I wanted to do this alone. I'm sure you would have gone with me and made sure the place was clean and not some shady shop.”

“Well, your safety is important to me,” Ignis reasoned but he could tell there was more to it. “But that's not the only reason, right?”

Gladio's face didn't blush nor did it show anything from the previous uncertainty. It was more of a grumpy expression, as if he was upset about himself. 

“I'm... not exactly fond of needles.”

There was a beat of silence and then Ignis couldn't stop his smile \- trying to hide it with his free hand anyway - but Gladio was already narrowing his eyes and pouting as if to warn Ignis that he shouldn't say anything else. 

“Are you telling me that Gladiolus Amicitia, the shield of the future King, who faces Behemoths, is scared of a needle?” Ignis said, teasingly.

“Very funny. We all have our fears,” Gladio defended himself and Ignis couldn't hold back the giggle.

“Yeah, we do,” Ignis snorted and then stopped himself from laughing when he noticed that Gladio looked like a kidwho had lost his favoritetoy.

Instead he leaned in closer, careful not to touch the lines of the tattoo, and placed a short kiss on his lips. “I think it's endearing and I'm sorry I’ve been so harsh. It must have hurt.”

“It's alright. But don't tell anyone.”

“I won't. However, you should have said something because I was really worried. And, aren't you supposed to take care of your skin with some sort of ointment afterwards?” Ignis questioned.

Gladio nodded slowly. 

“So, when you go out there and face the evil foe called needle... if I can't go with you, let me at least take care of you,” Ignis suggested and watched Gladio's grin return. 

“You just want me naked.”

“No, I want to be sure you're fine. The fact that you'll be half naked is just a bonus.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say,” Gladio laughed and wrapped his arms around Ignis to pull him on his lap before he placed a kiss against his neck. “Thanks, though.”

Ignis smiled and ran his fingers through Gladio's hair, holding him gently when he rested his head against Ignis' chest. 

“You're very welcome”

Ignis whispered lovingly.

 


	2. Day 2: “OMG, so drunk…” + Wearing the other’s clothes

Gladio had always been sure that he had the most beautiful boyfriend in the entire world. There was no one who could be more beautiful, ~~n~~ or smarter, than Ignis was. He loved to listen to his voice and everything he had to say about his cooking and all the other things he was interested in. But he also loved to simply watch Ignis, whatever he did, because he was always graceful and beautiful. He had spent hours listening, watching and falling in love more and more with each passing day and Gladio had been sure that he knew his boyfriend. 

But apparently he had been wrong.

It all started with Noctis and Prompto wanting to help Ignis relax and have a good time. It was something that Gladio supported but he also knew that Ignis wasn't exactly the person to get drunk and party all night. So it was usually him who drove them home and had to deal with a drunk Gladio – who became a big puppy asking for cuddles and kisses anywhere and anytime. While Gladio didn't think the idea would help Ignis relax, he was still curious to see what his boyfriend would be like drunk. 

And Ignis... he became possessive and cute in a very different way. Gladio knew that people said that drunk people usually say the truth or do the things they usually wouldn't do. Like dancing until he became all sweaty, pulling Gladio close when someone looked at Gladio for longer than necessary. Ignis would tighten his arms around Gladio and whatever body part he could reach and glue them together while glaring at his new enemy – his glasses slipping down or being askew and Ignis constantly tried to fix their position.

He could also talk a lot of nonsense, all to Gladio's amusement. But eventually the two younger ones became too wasted and Gladio decided to drive them home, which had been a good idea because Noctis was about to start a fight and Prompto looked like he was about to throw up. Ignis, on the other hand, never left Gladio's side and followed him to the car. He let Ignis in first, nodding when Ignis asked if he would be back soon – and he did it in such a cute way, with a small plea in his voice and looking at him with begging eyes, that Gladio wanted to leave the other two idiots there and just be alone with Ignis. But Gladio had to let go of his clingy boyfriend and be responsible because Noctis was laughing while Prompto was barfing. 

“Get in the car,” he ordered Noctis and the Prince did as he was told, probably because he wasn't able to do more than that. Then he helped Prompto who said something about Chocobo poo and how he needed to find a lake to swim in and get clean. 

Gladio rolled his eyes and when everyone was seated and had their belts on, he started the car and drove straight to Noctis’ apartment. Ignis was looking out of the window, eyes falling shut and opening again, Prompto was talking nonsense and Noctis giggling. By the time they arrived both teenagers were sleeping and Gladio threw them both over his shoulder and carried them inside the building, helped them undress and set two bottles of water on the nightstand. Usually it was Ignis who did all those things and he admired his patience because Gladio felt like snapping each time Noctis or Prompto tried to kick him away. 

Certain that they were sleeping and not going to hurt themselves, he left the building to get Ignis but his boyfriend was standing outside, arms wrapped around himself and pouting. 

Gods, why did he leave the car when  it was  freezing outside? 

“Hey, why did you get out of the car?” Gladio asked and opened the door to get him back inside.

“You left and I wanted to look for you,” Ignis explained and caused Gladio to smile and forget about the two drunken idiots and about his anger. He touched Ignis cheek and told him to get back inside while Ignis mumbled something about how cold he felt during their short drive to his place. When Gladio parked the car and helped him outside, they walked together, Ignis clinging to him and still talking about how cold he felt and Gladio did his best to warm him up by keeping his arm around his middle. 

A heavy sigh left his lips when they were finally inside his apartment, far away from curious eyes, and helped Ignis to the bathroom. 

“Gladio,” Ignis whined when Gladio moved so far away  that  he couldn't touch him anymore. 

“I'm right here,” he reassured and poured water into a glass. “Here. Drink this and I'll get you some clothes, alright?” 

Ignis nodded and sipped his water slowly as Gladio hurried into his room to get a sweater and a pair of sweatpants. Back in the bathroom he helped Ignis to undress, brush his teeth and change into the clothes, but the sweatpants simply wouldn't fit, continuing to fall down. 

“Cold,” Ignis whined again and Gladio huffed, giving up with the sweatpants and when he was allowed to look at his boyfriend he couldn't stop the blush crawling over his cheeks. Okay, he knew all about this 'wearing your boyfriend's clothes' stuff, but he never understood what was so great about it or why it was a turn on. Now though, when he saw Ignis in his gray sweater, which was far too big for Ignis \- his fingers were barely visible and it stopped right above his knees - he had no explanation to why it was so hot and cute at the same time. 

“Come on, I'll warm you up,” Gladio choked out, not meaning to sound ambiguous. But Ignis, with his sly smile, probably thought he was trying exactly that.

“Yeah? How?” Ignis whispered and he probably tried to sound seducing but his giggle, and the fact that he almost tripped over his own feet, stopped him. 

“You'll see,” Gladio said and brushed his own teeth while having his free arm around Ignis, who wouldn't let go of him,  clinging to Gladio because he was so warm and soft. 

They left the bathroom and walked to Gladio's bedroom. There, on the nightstand, he had a bottle of water that he took and handed it to Ignis as he arranged the pillows and pushed the covers away. He took back the bottle from Ignis when he was done drinking and wanted to take his glasses off. But Ignis, who wasn't weak even though he was slim and smaller than Gladio, managed to push him on the bed, down on his back and Gladio didn't even have enough time to react. No, all he saw were long naked legs, straddling his middle in a clumsy way and then Ignis sat on top of him, face flushed, breathing faster than before and looking down at his boyfriend, as if he was about to burst with arousal. 

Gladio swallowed and placed his hands on Ignis' thighs, smiling confused, wanting to say they shouldn't be doing this, but Ignis was faster. 

“Gladio,” he whined and moved as if he was about to lean back but all he did was grab the covers, wrap them around him and lay down on top of Gladio, slightly shivering when he whispered: “I'm cold.”

Gladio huffed a laugh when he calmed down. God, Ignis was too adorable for his own good and Gladio took off his glasses before he placed a kiss on Ignis forehead and wrapped his arms around him, keeping him warm. 

“You're mine. My personal heater,” Ignis mumbled and Gladio tried not to laugh when he agreed. 

“I'll fight every bitch and asshole that gets close to you,” Ignis admitted to sound threatening and now Gladio couldn't stop his laugh. Ignis swearing was rare, basically  non-existent .

“Oh Gods, you're so drunk. You'll hit me tomorrow when I'll tell you what happened today.”

But Ignis didn't say anything, finally asleep and snoring gently against Gladio's neck, pliant and fitting right in his arms and against his body. 

 


	3. Day 3: Gladio and Ignis get tricked by Prompto and Noct into going on a date + Brotherhood Era

  
  


“Are Gladio and Ignis dating?” Prompto asked and Noctis almost choked on the pastry he was eating. 

“What?” he managed to say and looked around the classroom to make sure no one was listening.

“What, what? They aren't?” Prompto kept on asking, surprised about the possibility that  it  might not be true. 

“No? What makes you think that?” Noctis had no idea how he felt about those questions or about the idea that his shield and sword were a couple. No, they were too different and it made no sense at all to him. Also, they were at his side every day since he was born and he was sure he would have known before anyone else.

“Come on, Noct. Haven't you seen the way they look at each other? They totally are!” Prompto exclaimed.

“I'd know, wouldn't I? They are with me every day.”

Noctis watched his friend who seemed to be unhappy about the fact that Gladio and Ignis weren't a couple. But Noctis mind was going somewhere else as he tried to imagine the two people he knew for so many years and who basically were his brothers – sometimes even parents – to him, be something more than just friends. He had nothing against it, not at all, but the thought that he might have missed this and that they wouldn't tell him if it were true, made him somehow upset. 

“Okay, they aren't. But I think there is something.”

“It's none of our business, don't you think?” Noctis tried to change the subject because the idea of seeing his friends kiss – while he himself was still inexperienced – made him slightly uncomfortable. It felt like he would watch his parents get intimate. No, he didn't need that.

“Nooooct, come on. Ignis is always working so hard and Gladio sacrifices his life for you. Don't you think they deserve love and happiness? And I think they'd be perfect for each other!”

“You're saying?”

“I'm saying we should trick them into going on a date! Perhaps they need a little help to become aware of their feelings for each other,  _ or _ , they already are but they are too shy to ask the other out,” Prompto announced proudly but all Noctis could do was raise an eyebrow. Sure, he did want to see his friends happy and he wished all the best for them, but he wasn't sure if what Prompto saw was actually true. He would have noticed!

Right?!

“Forget it. Ignis isn't interested in those sort of things and Gladio is busy with keeping guys away from his little sister while swinging his sword,” Noctis said and grabbed another one of the pastries Ignis baked for him yesterday. Also, even if they would do that and it would come out, Noctis could already imagine how hard Gladio would lecture him and he also didn't want to be the victim of Ignis’ cold glare. 

“Aw, man. I'm sure they'd be perfect for each other... if they aren't dating already,” Prompto whined and mumbled the last sentence rather to himself.

Noctis watched him before he got lost in his thoughts. The idea wouldn't leave him even after school because Prompto could exaggerate but he had a good eye, since he loved to take pictures all the time. He couldn't help himself and wonder if Prompto was right at some point since he didn't take Gladio nor Ignis for granted and had a very different view on them, considering he had only met them a few times since they became friends. 

Influenced by his blonde friend 's words, Noctis couldn't help himself but watch his two friends with more attention than  usual . It started after his daily meeting with Ignis, when they went through reports and homework together, and Gladio came to pick him up. He packed his stuff and watched Ignis approach the door and greet the shield just like he greeted everyone else. Gladio however grinned at Ignis and Noctis wasn't sure if what he saw – that spark in Gladio's eyes – had always been there. 

Then when Ignis came to pick them both up from the training hall, while Noctis pretended to untie his shoes and change into his usual clothes, his eyes looked over to the two as they stood across from each other and talked – Gladio showing Ignis the new weapons they've got for the training and casually touching Ignis’ arm. Noctis raised an eyebrow and tried to remember if Gladio always did that and if Ignis ever called him out on touching him. Noctis always believed that Ignis wasn't fond of physical closeness since he never asked for a hug or initiated anything ever. 

But here he was, smiling to Gladio as if it wasn't anything out of the ordinary and Noctis heard Prompto's words echoing in his head, almost mocking him. Could he have been so blind that he didn't notice that his two friends, that he had basically known since birth, were an item? At first he felt irritated and then pissed at himself more and more during dinner. 

He was sitting at the table, pretending to play a game on his phone – which he usually did – while Gladio and Ignis were cooking together, their backs to Noctis. Since when did Gladio care about cooking? And when did Ignis let anyone help him doing something? He never noticed that before and it pissed him off even more that he never saw what his friend apparently so easily noticed. Had it always been there or just recently? 

Did they always stay this close to each other? Did Ignis always giggle that much and since when was Gladio whispering and allowed to lean so close to Ignis? Not to mention that his hands seemed to be on Ignis’ body all the time if they weren't busy with something else. 

“Fuck!” Noctis cursed and looked back down on his phone when he noticed how his two friends jumped apart.

“Language, Highness,” Ignis warned him.

“Losing again?” Gladio teased as if nothing happened.

“Yeah,” Noctis mumbled, feeling like he had lost a bet.  
  


* * *

 

“You were right,” Noctis announced when he met Prompto in their classroom.

“Right about what?” his friend asked as  he turned around on his chair. 

“I think they are dating.”

“See!? I told you there's something!” Prompto exclaimed, kicking his feet as he did so. “How did you find out?”

“I haven't found out anything. I was just... watching them and they've been... close.”

“Did they kiss or something?” Prompto asked with a sly smile, moving his eyebrows up and down. 

“No!” Noctis had no idea why he blushed but he did. “They just seemed pretty close but I haven't seen anything really. Maybe I was just imagining things since you wouldn't stop talking about it.”

“Do you want to know, though?”

Noctis blinked and could see how the wheels in Prompto's head started turning. Yes, he did want to know, especially because it made no sense to him. They were so different that it seemed impossible to Noctis how the two of them could be more than just friends. Ignis, who followed his duty with such accuracy and selflessness and Gladio who wasn't much different when it came to his duty, but always seemed to be the easy guy, not interested in anything serious like a relationship. 

“I don't know,” Noctis started but Prompto's grin told him that his friend knew he was lying. “Okay, fine. Yeah, I wanna know.”

“Good. Because I have the perfect plan. Look at this!”

Prompto placed two flyers on Noctis desk, they were identical in orange and red.

“An autumn festival?”

“Yeah. It's basically like a marketplace with nice food and other knickknacks aaaaand... when it's getting dark there will be fireworks. I think that's as romantic as it can get, right?”

“And your plan is?” Noctis asked unable to follow Prompto’s thought.

“Well, I'll write down a message for them and you'll leave the flyer at their place. Then, we'll go there incognito and watch them. You know, like spies.”

Noctis wasn't sure if this plan would work out but it was worth a shot so he did what Prompto asked him to do when school was over.

 

* * *

 

“Ignis looks fine,” Prompto said as they were hiding behind a bush, both wearing hats and even sunglasses.

“Ignis always looks fine,” Noctis mumbled as he watched his two friends walk through the marketplace. He still couldn't believe that Prompto's plan actually worked out.

“Gladio looks fine too, though. I've only ever seen him in his sportswear. It must be a date if he is dressed equally nice, right?”

Noctis shrugged but he couldn't deny what Prompto stated. It wasn't like Gladio didn't care about his appearance,  but  he just didn't see the point in dressing up when there was no reason to. 

“What are they doing?” Noctis asked while Prompto looked through his camera to zoom in.

“Ignis is buying ingredients for cooking. Oh!” He handed Noctis the camera. “You need to see this!”

Noctis did as he was told and saw his two friends standing in front of a stand that sold all kinds of spices. Gladio was holding a bag while Ignis was trying different spices by sniffing and tasting them, sharing them  with Gladio, smiling in a way Noctis hadn't seen before. They also shared a pastry when they moved to the next stand and Ignis watched Gladio proving his strength while arm wrestling. 

“Dude! They are so dating!” Prompto whispered when they were sitting on a tree watching the people getting together around the river to watch the fireworks, hours later. 

“I don't know... they seem pretty close but dating? It's not like they hold hands or kiss though.”

“Do you need a kiss as proof? You said it yourself, Ignis doesn't like physical contact, right? Perhaps they don't want to be all touchy feely in public,” Prompto explained.

“But Gladio is not, and I think if they were a thing something like hand holding would have happened,” Noctis said. 

“Perhaps... damn, it's hard to see if they are holding hands because people are blocking the view,” Prompto complained and Noctis snorted.

They remained on that tree until the fireworks were over and watched the people leave one after the other. Noctis complained about how cold it was and that they should leave because nothing was going to happen anyway. But Prompto told him to think about something warm instead and that this mission wasn't over until Gladio and Ignis went back home. 

“What, do you want to follow them to their apartment?”

“And invading their privacy and face the Behemoth? No way, dude.”

More and more people left and Noctis started to shiver and wished Gladio and Ignis would finally do something or leave as well because it was freaking cold. But they didn't. In fact they stood by the river until it was just them and he closed his eyes for a second but snapped them open when Prompto was literally squealing. 

“Shut up, Prompto!” he hissed after he saw how Gladio moved behind Ignis and wrapped his arms around him and pressed his hand against Prompto's mouth, who was taking pictures.

He couldn't believe what he saw, his two friends were actually holding each other, Gladio's body covering all of Ignis back and Ignis wasn't fighting him but leaning into it.

They were dating indeed and no one told him about that! How long  had they been  dating already? Why didn't they tell him? Gods, had he been so oblivious that he didn't even notice when it started?

He moved his hand off Prompto's mouth and encouraged him to take more pictures so he could have some sort of revenge later. However, he forgot all about his revenge and blushed furiously when he saw how gently Gladio took Ignis face into his hands and brought him close to share a smiling kiss.

“Oh my-”

“THEY KISSED! OH MY SHIVA!” Prompto suddenly yelled and Noctis pressed both hands against his mouth as he panicked that Gladio and Ignis might have heard them. But all he caused was for the both of them to lose balance and almost fall off the tree.

Awkwardly they held the branch in order not to fall but it was already too late. He heard Gladio's voice before he could see his shield.

“Are you done spying on us?”

“What?! You knew?” Prompto shrieked trying to hide behind another branch.

Noctis looked down and saw Gladio standing under them, Ignis right next to him, his hand holding Gladio's. Noctis glared at him because if they knew why didn't they come clean? They could have done something else instead of sitting in the cold for hours and wait for something to happen. 

“Your handwriting gave it away,” Ignis said, still hiding part of his face by pretending to push up his glasses.

“You know my handwriting!?” Prompto seemed impressed and shocked at the same time.

“Ignis knows basically everything  about you . And it's our job to know what the Prince does and keep him safe,” Gladio said amused and grinned at Prompto as if he had won some sort of bet. 

Of course, Noctis thought, and groaned from w h ere he was hanging while Gladio laughed and Ignis cleared his throat. 

“And Ignis doesn't use any sort of emoji,” Gladio added.

“What? But  emojis are cool!” Prompto complained and climbed off the tree, Noctis following him. 

“You could have said something. Making us go through all of this,” the Prince said looking grumpy and still blushing as they approached their friends.

“We agreed to keep it low until it felt right to voice the status of our relationship. It's not exactly a secret,” Ignis explained.

“No. Prompto figured it out even though he met us only a few times. I knew you could be oblivious, Noct, but  this surprised me. I thought you didn't say anything because you were embarrassed,” Gladio teased and awoke Noctis curiosity. 

“Wait... how long have you been dating?”

“A little more than a year,” Ignis spoke and Noctis couldn't stop his jaw from falling. They were together for more than a year already and he didn't notice anything? 

“You still have a long way to go, your Highness. Your father knew it before we even were a thing, just like my father did,” Gladio laughed and Noctis watched Ignis blushing equally as much as he did.

“If you're going to tell them any more details, Gladiolus, I might reconsider the status of our relationship,” Ignis warned him.

“Sorry, dear.”

Prompto couldn't stop laughing and Noctis felt like he was in some sort of dream. But when he took a closer look at his friends, he couldn't help but feel happy for them.

Somehow, after watching them all day long he understood why Prompto thought they were perfect for each other.

They were indeed.

  
  


  
  


 


	4. Day 4: Early Morning Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their early morning hours together became rare since they left Insomnia and Ignis misses them sometimes.

  
  


Sometimes Ignis missed their days back in Insomnia, when he and Gladio could share a bed without someone disturbing them. He could cuddle and kiss his partner as much as he wanted and receive the same in return. There was no Prompto or Noctis who would either complain, call them gross or make fun of them. He would get up and prepare coffee for them, watch Gladio wake up slowly, with his ridiculous long eyelashes fluttering, letting his amber eyes fill with light to bring out their color. Or Ignis would wake up to the smell of coffee and soft lips kissing him awake, while Gladio’s beloved deep voice would murmur sweet nothings. 

During cold days he would try to melt into Gladio's warmth and during storms they would sit together and watch the thunders and the rain \- or the snow falling and covering everything in a beautiful white. Sometimes they even got up early, when it was still dark, and went to places in and outside of Insomnia to watch the sun rise while being wrapped up in a blanket together drinking coffee. 

He also missed the early mornings when they kissed, made out, hands wandering over naked skin, feeling the familiar muscles and touching the weak spots they knew so well. He missed how they would sometimes touch each other and reach their orgasm together, or how Gladio would pull him closer and slip back inside his body just like mere hours before.

Ignis missed the lazy early mornings, the heated and sweet ones. Those days seemed just a distant memory and had become so rare since they started their journey that sometimes Ignis missed those moments, especially after a long, draining day. 

It was harder when they slept together in a tent, all four of them together. Usually Gladio would sleep close to the entrance, shielding them all, while Ignis slept at the other end, Noctis and Prompto between them. It was their duty to keep the Prince safe so he didn't complain and didn't ask for anything else. He swore an oath and he was going to stay true to his words. But he was also a human being, with needs and wishes and Gladio became, over the years, the source of his strength, too. 

So they created new early mornings which weren't filled with the same safety and privacy they were used to, but it wasn't less important nor less satisfying. Ignis always got up first, prepared breakfast for them all and Gladio would join him minutes later while the other two remained asleep – Prompto talking in his sleep while Noctis didn't make a sound at all.

“Morning, Iggy,” Gladio would whisper against his cheek, place a kiss there and then wrap his arms around Ignis middle while he was still preparing breakfast.

Other days they would use their free time, when they felt especially safe, and leave the tent so far behind that no one could hear them, but they were still able to see if the Prince was safe. 

“Good morning,” Ignis would say in return and sometimes tilt his head to ask for a proper kiss.

“You're stiff again,” Gladio said when his hands felt Ignis shoulders. “Don't you think we should find a hotel room tonight? We all need some time to relax and a proper bed can do miracles.”

It was Gladio's way to say that he, too, missed their mornings back in Insomnia and that he dreamed of the normality they used to have.

“I agree. It's been a while, that's true.”

Ignis watched Gladio smile warmly and felt his hand squeezing his, as if he was making a promise that tonight would be like all the other nights back in Insomnia, even though they both knew it would never be the same as it used to be. 

Ignis checked the map for the  nearest motel and planned to stop at least two times on their way in order to see if someone was in need, but also to exhaust Noctis and Prompto, because he really didn't want to deal with their childishness tonight. 

So he watched Gladio with amusement when he pushed them a bit harder than usual and made them look for frogs and other things the people they met needed. ‘ _The duty of a Prince is to take care of his people_ ’, was what Ignis used as an excuse when Noctis came to him to complain – like he was the child and Ignis was the mother. 

By the time they arrived at the motel Noctis and Prompto groaned and ached for a bath, ignoring Gladio and Ignis while they took the keys to their room. Both knew that the two of them wouldn't leave their bed until late morning. 

Gladio was the one, as usual, who filled the bathtub with warm water and prepared everything for a relaxing evening and night. It was him who took Ignis hand and guided him to the bathroom, where they undressed each other and took a bath together, but it was Ignis who prepared dinner for them before they went to bed together. Gladio would rest his head on Ignis chest, talk about the day, talk about their past and what he wished for their future. His words would make Ignis smile while his fingers gently ran through Gladio's hair or his naked, strong back. 

When they were done talking, they listened to the rain outside and, at some point, Gladio moved to sit behind Ignis, pulling him close and bringing their naked bodies together as they listened and watched the drops cover the window. Then Gladio would move again, place kisses on Ignis cheek and Ignis would lean back, bringing their lips together. Their hands would explore each other, their bodies connecting in a familiar way, and reach their orgasm together. 

It was slow, meaningful, deep, no rush, no worries. Those nights were just about them, Gladio and him, and it almost felt like they were back in Insomnia.

When they started this journey and found their nights together becoming less, it scared Ignis in an unfamiliar way. He was worried about so many things, scared about so many things. Even back in Insomnia he felt that way. But the reasons had been different and whenever he felt weak or lost, he knew Gladio would hold him and make things better, just like Ignis would in return. 

Their nights together became less, but they were enough to give him the strength he needed for all of them, and he could feel it was the same for his boyfriend. 

When Ignis woke up, the sun was half out, and it was to the smell of coffee and to Gladio’s smile who sat next to him, leaning against the headrest as he watched Ignis. His eyes needed some time to get used to the light, until he was allowed to drown in amber eyes, filled with unconditional love and admire the handsomeness the shield was. Ignis smiled back as he sat up, leaning his head against Gladio's shoulder and taking the cup from him. 

Their rooms in Insomnia may be gone, along with their early mornings they shared back then. But it weren't the rooms nor the city that made their early mornings special.

It was them, him and Gladio, who created that magic atmosphere and he knew that, as long as they were together and got the chance to share a night and the following morning once in a while, they would remain the same. 

No matter where they were.

No matter what would happen.

 


	5. Day 5: 5 times Gladio carried Ignis & 1 time Ignis carried Gladio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio remembers five times when he had to carry Ignis, and one time Ignis carried him when Gladio was weak.

  
  


Gladio remembered all the times he carried Ignis, but five of them were still vivid in his mind as if they happened yesterday. 

The first time was when they were just teenager and Ignis was uptight. He rarely smiled, he didn't enjoy video games and other things teenagers usually liked. He was so different compared to him and Noctis, that Gladio really wanted to just play a prank on him and cause a reaction. Something that would make him laugh or even angry, anything that would change that neutral expression he always had on his face. 

And what started with the intention to make Ignis react with emotions, became the moment Gladio started to fall for him. 

He sneaked behind Ignis in the library, grinning to himself and feeling proud of his skills, to slunk behind the future adviser. He lifted Ignis up with no effort at all, hands under his knees and holding his back, as he grinned at Ignis who gasped, almost yelled, and clung to Gladio's shoulders. His grin disappeared when he noticed the deep blush on Ignis’ cheeks and the way he stared at Gladio, as if he had never seen him before. 

He was so beautiful that Gladio probably looked like and idiot for mere seconds, with his mouth hanging open and his own eyes unable to look away from Ignis. 

“Are you out of your mind?” Ignis hissed and Gladio instantly snapped back to reality.

He let Ignis down and his grin returned, while his heart and mind got lost in an argument. 

The second time was a year later, when they went on their third date and Gladio asked Ignis if he wanted to be in a relationship with him. He had been nervous, the most he had ever been, though that feeling got replaced by happiness when Ignis said yes. Gladio was so happy that he couldn't help himself but swipe Ignis off his feet, hold him in his arms while placing kisses all over his face. It was the first time Ignis himself smiled freely, and though he complained that Gladio should put him down, the shield didn't listen and carried him for a while longer. 

The third time Gladio had to carry Ignis was a moment that surprised them all. The two of them were out with Noctis and Prompto, to celebrate their 18th birthday. It was a lot of fun until someone decided to say bad things about Prompto and Noctis too. It truly came out of the blue and though Gladio told them to ignore it – since it would have been bad to punch someone considering he belonged to the crownsguard and ultimately represented the Crown – Ignis didn't listen. He, who was usually calm and collected and ignoring every form of stupidity, fighting back with his sass and wit, actually approached the person and punched him in the face. 

They all gasped but Gladio still had enough of his consciousness left to grab Ignis, throw him on his shoulder and run away before the situation could escalate. 

The fourth time was after they had a fight, a really bad one, about duty, Noctis and how Ignis was overworking himself while Gladio took everything too lightly. But the main reason was that Gladio simply became worried about Ignis, who often drowned in his work and drained himself. But Ignis could be stubborn. One afternoon Gladio found him on the floor and seeing the person he loved lying unconscious on the cold wooden floor, not responding, but fortunately still breathing... Gladio had never felt more scared in his life. 

He carried Ignis to his bed and stayed at his side until he woke up and apologized for his behavior while promising that he would take better care of himself.

The fifth time was one that Gladio recalled during all the lonely hours when it was just him and his hand. Noctis and Prompto went on a school trip and he begged his father to let Gladio and Ignis stay home because he wanted to have a normal trip with his friend and classmates. Regis, who constantly tried to make his son happy and granted him almost every wish, agreed to that. Ignis, however, went on full mother mode and packed everything for Noctis while telling him what to do if he ate something poisonous, that he needed to brush his teeth at least three times a day, that he shouldn't talk to strangers and more. He also gave Prompto the same speech and a list with everything he said. 

Gladio let him and then they accompanied Noctis, who waved goodbye when he was sitting inside the bus, to meet his classmates. With him gone, came a lot of free time both rarely had. Gladio's plan was to make the most out of it and it took him some time to calm Ignis down and distract him from all the horrible scenarios happening in his head. Eventually Ignis agreed that Noctis was no longer a kid and was able to take care of himself, and besides he wasn't alone. 

Sometimes Gladio felt a bit jealous of how much attention Ignis gave the Prince, but it all vanished when he remembered that Ignis didn't give his heart and soul to anyone else but him, at least not in the same way. 

That was exactly what Ignis did that evening. 

They showered together, watched a movie together and went to bed together while slowly undressing. Whenever they had sex Ignis showed Gladio a side of him no one knew about. He could be shy and he could be defensive but he could also be a little minx, something Gladio refused to say out loud but that he rather enjoy. 

They've been together for three years and they knew the other’s body by heart. Their weak spots, their erogenous spots, how to hug and kiss to make the other feel good, relaxed or aroused. They knew everything about the other and Gladio loved to give and receive. That night Ignis literally begged for his cock to thrust into him hard and deep, to fuck him fast, but sometimes slow. He begged for Gladio's hands to roam all over his body, for his lips to be on his and for his voice to talk to him, low, dirty, right into his ear. 

Gladio gave all of that to him, again and again, and Ignis took what he wanted, until Gladio became worried he might hurt his partner, who still wanted more. 

At some point they fell asleep and when Ignis woke up to go to the bathroom and fell because his legs were too weak and his body sore, Gladio had to carry him all day. He started to worry during their sex marathon and he wanted to ask Ignis if he was fine since his behavior had been quite unusual. But Ignis simply wanted to make the most of their time together and he loved Gladio and needed to feel him. 

Those were the five times Gladio recalled so vividly.

And then there was one time when he got carried by Ignis, which Gladio wasn't used to at all. He had always been the stronger one, the one who carried others, things and burdens no one could see. He was taught to do so, be the shield to protect and carry what others couldn't, and it took him some time to let Ignis carry certain things with him.

Sometimes literally.

Sometimes Gladio left Insomnia together with Cor, other people from the Crownsguard and some of the Kingsglaive. They had to train in order to learn how to face the real world and real foes, to learn all about nature and camping, and though Gladio enjoyed all those trips, sometimes they weighed heavy on his soul. 

Seeing real corpses, seeing demons and listening to all the noises they made during the night, could become scary and it played with his mind sometimes. Especially when he went out for the very first time. Even though there were people like Cor and his father who made sure they were safe, Gladio had still been young and challenging his personal demons. But Gladio never showed his weakness towards anyone because he didn't want to disappoint.

As he grew older and gained more experience, he handled those nights far better, and Ignis played an important part in that as well. 

It was the fourth time around when Gladio went out with Cor and the others for a whole week. He was barely 20 years old then, and though he could feel how this anxious part of him started to awake, he ignored it and fought his way through. By the time they returned, Gladio was exhausted, no longer able to feel his body or anything, and all he could think about was his boyfriend. He was the only reason why Gladio managed to move and why he didn't break down the moment they entered Insomnia. 

He knocked against Ignis’ apartment door and smiled when his beautiful boyfriend greeted him with flushed cheeks and a beaming smile. His heavy arms opened to embrace the source of his healing, his heavy feet moved him inside to close the door and say bye to the rest of the world. Because here he could rest, here he felt the safest and here was the person who knew how to make him feel better, loved. 

And the moment his arms embraced Ignis, his warm frame warming up Gladio's shaking bones and muscles and the familiar smell of coffee and cinnamon reached his nostrils, Gladio slumped against Ignis and fell asleep. 

He woke up in the middle of the night, his head on Ignis’ chest and his soft fingers running down Gladio's face and through his hair. Ignis smiled down at him, welcoming him back properly as if he wasn't sure if Gladio had heard him before and then Gladio started to talk, share what he wasn't able to share before and Ignis listened, not judging, not interrupting but knowing what to do to make Gladio feel safe. 

And Gladio let it all happen until they became the other’s rock.

 


	6. Day 6: “Don’t call us Mom and Dad!” + Battle Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignis got hurt during a battle but doesn't say a word as he takes care of a very annoying Prince and his best friend. Gladio takes care of Ignis.

“It huuuuurts!” Prompto whined and Ignis counted until 10 for what felt like the 100th time, in order to not snap at his blonde friend. Yes, he knew a wound hurt and yes, it wasn't a pleasant feeling to clean it. But it also wasn't the first wound one of them had after a battle. Besides, Ignis himself was hurt, but he didn't say anything because he needed to take care of his friends first. So he ignored the burn, the pulsing feeling on his back and took care of Prompto's arm.

“It's a small injury, you'll survive,” Ignis said as calmly as possible, though he felt his eyebrow twitching.

“You think? It might get infected though!”

Ignis pressed his lips together as he wrapped the bandage around Prompto's arm.

“It won't. I took care of it.”

“What about me? Are you done?” Noctis complained as he looked down at his arms after taking off his jacket.

“Just a moment,” Ignis informed him and handled Prompto a bit rougher than he usually would before walking over to the Prince. If Gladio would have been there with them he would have called the two of them out already. He was the father in their group. A bit harsher, the one who pushed the two of them more and played down whatever complain left their tongue. Ignis on the other hand was different. He showed understanding, gave in easily and did all the things a mother traditionally did. Though, when he and Gladio became a couple, he helped Ignis and the other two tried – but since they had a talent to ruin more than fix, Ignis sometimes refused their help.

“All done,” Ignis announced and Prompto groaned as he sunk into his camping chair.

While Ignis took care of Noctis he did complain too, but it was not that whiny complaining audible for the rest of the world – a blessing for his nerves. But the moment he was done with Noctis wounds too, the two friends sat together and started to complain about how hungry they were. Ignis turned his back to them and focused on cooking while wishing that Gladio would return soon – he left to get more wood for the fire.

Until he heard Noctis whining: “Moooom! When is dinner ready?”

“And where's Dad?” Prompto jumped on that train and Ignis put his knife down, a bit harder than he intended to.

He knew, logically, it was smarter not to react to their teasing – which they loved to do sometimes, since they knew he and Gladio were a couple. But his wound hurt and he wished Gladio would return right this instant and call them out because he couldn't, not with the pain numbing his body. But he didn't say anything because Ignis never put himself first.

“You're the worst kids one could ask for,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Hey! Did you just call Ignis Mom?”

When Ignis heard Gladio's voice it was like someone heard his wish and granted it. He turned around and watched the shield climbing up the rocks to their safe camping place, blessed by the Kannagi.

“Dad's back!” Prompto announced but didn't notice how Noctis waved his hands to signal this wasn't the right time. Gladio approached them both, grinning and holding so much wood in his hands no one but him could carry alone. Ignis watched how Gladio stood between the other two and then let the wood fall into their arms, without a warning.

“Woah!” Prompto yelped.

“What the hell! Gladio!” Noctis whined.

“Stop calling us Mom and Dad! Make yourself useful instead,” Gladio boomed with his low voice.

“But my arms are hurt,” Prompto whined.

“Really? A couple of scratches and you two can't do anything anymore?” Gladio questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Perhaps it was the scars Gladio had himself, visible on his face and chest, that made Prompto and Noctis do as told. Ignis felt grateful.

After dinner Prompto and Noctis crawled inside the tent and left the dishes to him and Gladio, something that gave them some time alone. They were almost done with everything when Ignis felt his body becoming tired and he couldn't ignore the pain anymore. A hiss left his mouth and Gladio was right at his side, because Ignis never complained.

“Ignis? Are you hurt or something?”

“Ah... no, just a small scratch. I'll take care of it in a minute.”

As usual Gladio didn't listen and placed his hands carefully on Ignis shoulders to turn him around so they were facing each other. His amber eyes roamed over his body and it didn't take him long to find the source of his pain.

“Ignis, why are you always doing this?”

“I'm not-”

“You're just as important as everyone else. Without you we wouldn't be anywhere,” Gladio said not hiding how worried and upset he was. “Come on, I'll take care of it.”

There was no other option because Gladio would force him anyway and Ignis was too tired to fight against the pain anymore.

“You probably did this for Noctis, right?” Gladio complained and prepared everything to clean Ignis’ wound. He silently watched Gladio while unbuttoning his shirt. It wasn't the first time that Gladio took care of him, he used to do that a lot when they were a bit younger and started to spare together. Back then Ignis hurt himself many times and Gladio proved, again and again, that he not only was good at combat, but was also great at taking care of whatever injury.

“His burden is already heavy enough,” Ignis confirmed, even though both knew the answer. “You know how he reacted after you got your scar because you were protecting him from that drunken fool.”

“I remember,” Gladio said and hunkered down to inspect Ignis’ wound.

It was a clean cut, stretching from his back to the side of his body and Gladio told him that before he started cleaning. Ignis hissed again and watched Gladio before he continued speaking.

“He was blaming himself for days and he doesn't need that now.”

“And what about me?” Gladio asked and his eyes were fixed on Ignis. “I understand what you try to do. But I'm your partner and I notice things like that and immediately get worried. But I also get upset because you never tell me things like that right after they happen.”

“If it's something life threatening I'll tell you right away,” Ignis said without hissing or wincing, while Gladio cleaned his wound and started to wrap the bandage around it. But then Gladio pulled the bandage a bit stronger and caused a hiss to fall out of Ignis' mouth.

“Don't joke about this. I'm seriously pissed right now.”

“I apologize,” Ignis sighed.

“I'm sorry too,” Gladio mumbled and pressed his lips above Ignis’ wound before finishing his nursing. “It's a clean cut but it'll leave a scar.”

As he spoke his fingers ran soothingly over Ignis' skin, which he complimented whenever he could and loved to feel and kiss.

“It'll be another story we'll remember,” Ignis spoke and ran his finger over Gladio's scar from his forehead down over his left eye to his cheek. “And I promise that I'll tell you from now on if I get hurt.”

“I take you up on that,” Gladio finally smiled and Ignis felt less guilty when he felt his lips on his own, his hands around his body to pull him closer until he melted into Gladio's embraced and smiled when he whispered his words of love to Ignis.

And Ignis smiled, giving the same in return.


	7. Day 7: Fantasy AU + FREE! (Mermaid AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis is the Prince of the underwater world and his family provides the light for their people. Ignis is his adviser and shield and does his best to protect the Prince. Though, one day, Noctis manages to escape and Ignis tries to find him but gets caught by humans.

He had sworn an oath to protect Noctis from any harm and from any decision that might bring misfortune over him or his people. Ignis promised it when he was a small merman. Back then Noctis couldn't control his tail yet and swam from left to right, and up and down without control and since then Ignis had been at his side, teaching and advising the Prince in the best way he knew and could. He had a talent for that, as the King said, and without a home and a family, Ignis had no other place to go back to. So he stayed there  and grew up together with the Prince, watching the world around him. 

He knew and saw so many things Noctis did not and most of those things should remain unknown to him. For Ignis, he still wasn't ready. Like the fact that his uncle – Ardyn – was jealous of his brother and Ignis always had a bad feeling around him. His tail was dark, a mix of red and purple unlike the deep blue, plastered with fish scales ones that shown blue and white when the royal family used their magic. 

Red was the color of blood, of anger and jealousy and Ignis could see all of that in Ardyn's face. The way he smiled when the King held a speech, the way he looked at the young Prince as if he  was plotting  something terrible. Ignis could see it all but he didn't say a word. 

When Regis suddenly died – Noctis was barely fifteen – Ignis knew it wasn't a sickness or the goddess of the sea lurking for the King's life. He knew it was Ardyn's doing but he couldn't prove it and he couldn't say anything, otherwise he had been sure he would have been the next. No, instead he swore his oath again before the King closed his eyes for the last time. 

SoArdyn became King because Noctis had been too young and their life changed forever. 

King Regis brought the light to the underwater world and one day Noctis would replace his father, when he'd be ready. Ignis knew all about that and so did the Prince, but they both were powerless against Ardyn and his powers, powers that caused the light to gradually fade, making people sick. They needed the light to survive and had no other choice but to swim to the surface and bath in the sunlight. 

That's how humans learned about their existence and in order to protect themselves, they used their borrowed magic and defended themselves against them. Since then a war broke, human against water, magic against magic, and Ignis and Noctis were powerless to do anything against it. All they could do was heal their people with the light Noctis had inside himself, but he had been too young and too weak to help them all.

And then Ardyn forbid to swim to the surface and everyone who did so would face death.

That was five years ago and now Ignis was looking for his Prince, angry and worried sick because he  had  left their home in order to meet the king of the human world, hopeful they might find a solution to stop this pointless war. 

But Ignis didn't find his Prince.

No matter how fast he swam, no matter how many times he called his name. His Prince was already far away or perhaps on the surface, so he went there.

And that's when it happened.

He found himself captured by humans and  he couldn't even use his magic because they hit him so hard  on his head that he lost consciousness. 

 

* * *

 

Ignis woke up to a ceiling he didn't know. It was bright, filled with sunlight  that was filling his body with a strength he hadn't felt in a long time. He turned around, moving his dark greenish tail but didn't come far. His face hit something invisible and then he realized where he was and remembered what happened. 

The humans had sealed him inside a water tank made of glass, and even though he tried to break it and use his magic, nothing could break it. 

Damn the magic powers of the humans.

It wasn't typical for him to panic or lose composure and flail, but this water tank was so small he couldn't even outstretch his whole tail. He breathed in and decided to get familiar with his surroundings and realized that he was alone in some room with colored windows, stony white walls and a dark brown door. It was just him and no one else. He had been hopeful to find Noctis as well but obviously, misfortune was a loyal companion since King Regis had died. 

Ignis decided to wait and save his energy for another moment when an escape seemed more likely possible. Instead he prayed to the goddess of the sea to keep Noctis safe until he would find him. Though he didn't need to wait for too long for something else to happen. He noticed light flooding the room and turned around to see the door opening and a human, bigger than any other human he had ever seen in his life – to be fair Ignis hadn't hasn't seen many of them – entered the room. 

And he did so in a rather suspicious way.

The man looked around as if to make sure there was no one else but them, silently closed the door and when his amber eyes found Ignis, a grin stretched over his lips. His eyes watched him carefully and Ignis waited for the person to come closer, ready to react, to do something while also trying to look as harmless as possible. The man came indeed closer and held his arms up as if to show he wasn't going to hurt Ignis. 

Obviously the adviser didn't believe him for one second.

He had seen what the humans did to creatures like him and he knew all of this could be an act to lure him into safety. No, he would get out of here on his own, he was sure of it. All he needed was to get out, slap this Behemoth of a man with his tail and find the next river. Ignis could hear it, the sea, the water connected to the ocean, and as long as Noctis lived, he could use his magic, as long as he was close to the water.

“You need to stay quiet, alright? I'll get you out of here,” the man said and Ignis only raised an eyebrow.

Was he really supposed to believe that?

Ignis nodded and watched the other man coming closer, looking less tense after Ignis lie of an agreement and, finally, he was taking care of the lock outside the water tank. Ignis did not move but waited for a noise, for anything that showed him that the tank was open, the magic broken and he free. 

“My name's Gladiolus. But you can call me Gladio and-”

Everything happened so fast that Ignis didn't even hear the words Gladio continued to say. The moment he heard the sound of something unlocking and felt the water becoming less, he lurched forward towards Gladio as he broke the glass and the water ran out, spreading over the floor. 

“Hey! Wai-” Gladio  choked as Ignis pushed him down with his full body and heavy tail, hands tightly wrapped around Gladio's thick neck. He knew all about the human body, since he had a small collection of books in his room – one of the things humans threw into the sea – and he knew they would lose consciousness if he cut off the air they needed. 

“I said.... wait,” Gladio managed to say and his large hands grabbed Ignis' wrist and  slowly  pushed him away. In his panic Ignis almost lost control over himself but he needed to get out of here, he needed to return to the sea, get his magic back and find his Prince. So he showed a side he hated the most about himself because it made him feel like a monster. 

He hissed like a cat as his teeth became sharp and his eyes became completely green. The dark greenish color of his tail spread up his spine, down his shoulders and arms and parts of his face, slowly, threatening. Ignis was ready to bite Gladio, attack him with his sharp nails too if he couldn't choke him to unconsciousness, but his next words held him back from doing so.

“Noctis waits for you!” Gladio almost yelled, eyes wide as he watched Ignis transformation, perhaps scared.

Ignis stared and thought fast, so fast that he almost felt dizzy. How did Gladio know about Noctis? No human knew about Noctis. Did that mean he met him? Was Noctis well and waiting for him somewhere?

“Noc...tis?”

“It's true, Ignis.”

Ignis stopped breathing for a moment, the greenish leaving his face and arms, going back down to his tail, as his sharp teeth also became normal again. 

Wait, Gladio knew his name? 

“We saw how they brought you here and I promised Noctis to save you.”

Ignis was conflicted but the logical thought took over. There was no way Gladio could lie about that or know about him and Noctis if Gladio hadn't met him in person.

“Where is Noctis?” Ignis asked.

“ Safe , in the sea. I know a good hiding place and I want to take you there. Noctis is waiting there.”

It wasn't like Ignis had any other choice. He was defenseless by now, at the mercy of this strong person he didn't even know, and the longer he looked at the human, the possibility of him wanting to harm Ignis became less and less.

“And how are we supposed to get out of here unseen?” Ignis asked, gesturing at his massive tail.

“Oh, don't worry about that,” Gladio said, the shock left his body and the easy grin returned. Ignis raised an eyebrow again because he never saw a human looking so... friendly. He watched Gladio silently, carefully, just in case all of this was a facade. But what he reached for behind his back was a huge white sheet. 

“I'm going to wrap you up in this and carry you. Everyone will believe I'm holding a corpse.”

A corpse? Ignis didn't want to become a corpse and he wasn't sure if they would get away with this. Wouldn't people get suspicious watching a man carrying a corpse around town? Ignis had his doubts but he also had no better idea than that. 

“Don't worry, it'll work. Now, quick, before someone notices something,” Gladio suddenly whispered and Ignis had no other option. 

He helped Gladio to wrap the sheet around his body, making sure the tail was hidden. He didn't need to worry about the upper half of his body since it was all human. But the sheet was big enough to hide everything and when Gladio lifted him up, too fast and too soon, Ignis couldn't help himself but slap Gladio with his tail on the back of his head \- not to strong and not too fast, otherwise he could lose his consciousness for real. 

“Careful,” he hissed.

“Sorry,” Gladio chuckled. “Getting hit by the tail of a merman... there's a first for everything, huh.”

Ignis didn't know if Gladio tried to sound funny or not but when he looked through the little hole and watched Gladio's face – after they left the room –, kissed by sunlight and becoming way too handsome with that wide smile, he didn't care if it was a joke or not. All he cared about was Noctis and nothing else, so he listened carefully if they  were getting closer to the water or not and if someone noticed something. 

But no, the road Gladio walked seemed to be deserted and Ignis couldn't hear other voices or steps, just the wind and the sea getting louder and louder. He could smell the salt, he could hear the waves and he could hear... voices. Two laughing voices, to be specific, and one of them was definitely Noctis' voice because Noctis rarely laughedand he'd recognizethat sound anywhere.

He straightened his back and flipped the sheets off his head to see where the Prince was, ignoring how the sheet covered Gladio's view and his mumbling complain.

Then Ignis finally saw him as they walked down a road of sand. There it was, the Prince and a blonde human was with him. Noctis was half inside the water and the blonde human sat on the sand, both chatting as if they had been friends for years. Ignis sighed and when all the tension and exhaustion left his body, he slumped against Gladio for a moment.

His Prince was safe.

His Prince was well and the hope  was  not lost yet. 

“Gladio!” the blonde exclaimed happily and Ignis warning, cold glare hit the stranger harder than Gladio. He literally jumped while Noctis laughed and said: “Don't worry, Prompto. Ignis is harmless.”

“Harmless?” Gladio huffed. “Ha, he almost killed me. Didn't know you water people could get so scary and dangerous.”

Gladio's eyes moved down to Ignis who met the amber ones with his own, but he didn't say anything. Instead he wiped the hair off his forehead and waited for Gladio to put him back inside the water. The moment he was back in his element, Ignis swung his tail, heard Gladio shout to be careful, but all he cared about was his Prince. His hands grabbed Noctis and pulled them backwards, deeper into the water to inspect him and make sure he was alright. 

Ignis couldn't find a scratch or anything else that seemed out of the ordinary.

“Are you alright, Highness?”

Ignis voice was filled with concern and anger and when Noctis realized that, he hung his head and nodded, apparently aware of the trouble he caused and feeling guilty.

“I am.”

“What were you thinking? Leaving on your own? You saw what they did to me, didn't you?” Ignis lectured him gently, trying to make it clear to the Prince that this world, no matter how much he wanted them to work together, was still very dangerous. 

“It could have happened to you,” Ignis explained, holding Noctis by his shoulders as if to shake him awake.

“Hey, don't be so harsh on him,” Gladio said as he stood next to the blonde – Prompt was his name, Ignis remembered. “You should praise him because he saved our Prince from drowning.”

Their Prince? Ignis looked back at Prompto and compared their clothing and, indeed, they were different, just like Noctis’ tail and his were, showing clearly who was royal and who not. 

“You... saved him?” Ignis asked and looked at Noctis’ proud grin. 

“I did. And guess what? They sympathize with us water people,” Noctis announced, almost sounding naïve. 

“Is that so?” Ignis asked, not even hiding his suspicion. It still could be a trap even thought that blonde young man, looking more lost than royal like, made Ignis doubt. His eyes wandered back to the other man, taller, bigger and... Ignis swallowed when the other person smiled at him. He looked away and back at his Prince who, of course, had a pleading look on his face.

“Please, Iggy. Let's talk a bit and you'll see they are good people. He's the prince and so am I. Perhaps we'll find a solution for our kingdoms.”

Ignis narrowed his eyes but he was weak to Noctis' pleading and begging.

“Fine, but we'll stay inside the water, understood?”

“Yeah!” he heard the two youngsters exclaim and Gladio laugh, a sound that Ignis liked more than he actually understood. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading. I had a lot of fun during Gladnisweek and try new things out. I thought about writing a long Mermaid AU for Gladnis and I do have something planned but I'm curious what you guys think :) let me know if you're interested!


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